In October, the Rigpa sangha was delighted to welcome Verena Pfeiffer to Dzogchen Beara for a three-day practice retreat entitled “From Calm to Clarity“. 

During those three days, Verena guided a group of 50 participants through a step by step process of listening, contemplating and meditating on the Buddha’s teachings on impermanence, interdependence and emptiness. With skills, humour and a deep knowledge of the teachings, she was able to lead us on a journey from calm to clarity, where one could get an insight of the Buddhist view of the nature of reality.

The Buddha said that the main cause of suffering and dissatisfaction in our life is ignorance – not knowing the nature of reality – and not being able to experience how things truly are. She reminded us that “it is not impermanence that makes us suffer. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent when they are not.“

During the retreat, Verena emphasised the practice of reflection and contemplation instead of intellectual elaborations. Contemplation is a form of analytical meditation that enables us to move from a purely intellectual understanding towards a real, transformative experience, it enables us to make the journey from the head to the heart that is central to the spiritual path.

Deep gratitude to Verena for travelling to Ireland and sharing those teachings that are at the heart of Mahayana Buddhism. We hope she can come back to Ireland soon!